The Legend of Zelda: The Forgotten Legacy
by The Wing Alchemist
Summary: Everyone knows the storyline that sums up the Zelda series. But what about the first Link? How did he live his life before becoming a hero? How did the three Goddesses and the Triforce originally appear in the world? Read and find out! M for violence.


Good evening, dear readers. If you're reading this, I'm glad to see you're still with me. For those of you reading my stories for the first time, welcome! Writing is a passion of mine. An outlet for pent up emotions, if you will. And although I'm not very good at keep a regular schedule with updates, I hope that you enjoy the tales I spin.

Honestly, this story came to me one day in my logic class. When I really started to think about it, I realized I wanted to know how the Goddesses really came into being, and how the idea of the Triforce formed. So I decided to write this. I've completed all my writing courses, so hopefully my grammar and syntax has improved since my writing began. When I go back and read "Moriko's Journey", I start to cringe.

**ALSO**, there's a poll on my profile I'd like everyone to vote on! I'm a little conflicted, and I need to focus on one story at a time. Please let me know which one to stay focused on!

Anyway, you probably want to start reading now. Please enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the characters you've never heard of.

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Legend says that once, long ago, there was a land known as Hyrule. Its royal family was brave, noble, and cared for its people as much as they did for the land. Villages and towns alike flourished and grew rapidly. Man and beast lived alongside each other in the kind of harmony we rarely see these days. Life as they knew it was heaven. The people knew nothing of famine and plague.

But that is because they simply forgot. For who wouldn't forget such things in a time when despair seemed so far off? Why worry, they told themselves. They had their symbol of hope: the Triforce. The three golden triangles symbolized power, wisdom, and courage; three things one needed to be strong. For ages, people strived to be just like that, hoping that they could become great people who could say they were proud to be Hyrulian.

But there were always those who detested the light of the Triforce. Those whose hearts were tainted by greed sought to control the kingdom through force dealt by a merciless hand, and time after time would attempt to steal the light away. However, the Triforce itself would split and choose three to be its vessels until the time came for the final battle. Naturally, the dark force would take Power for its own. Wisdom would find its way to an innocent with a pure heart and clear mind. And last, but not least, Courage would make its home in the hand of a man who would be the one to vanquish the evil.

Every few centuries, the battle between the three Forces would take place, and balance would always be returned to Hyrule. Peace would continue, and everyone would move on.

But when did this all begin? What occurred during the first century of life in Hyrule?

That, my children, is where this story begins. Gather round, ye who love stories, for this is one to last an era and on.

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Chapter 1: The Little Boy Who Cared

Beams of early morning light poked its way through the forest canopy, speckling the canopy and tree trunks with dots of soft light. Birds chattered their good mornings as they passed each other. The sound of soft steps filled the clearing as slowly-waking animals came to drink from the small spring set just a mile off the nearby road. Mornings were a time of peace for all. The hunt had not yet begun, and they made good use of that small window of time to ready themselves for the chase.

A pack of black wolves entered the spring, taking their place between two large rocks. The two largest members, obviously male and female, nudged their pups forward until the little ones started to drink. One pup tried to challenge his father to a fight, but older wolf simply pushed the pup into the spring with a paw. The other animals didn't even twitch.

A small boy hidden in the higher branches of a large tree watched the entire scene play out. His hair was as golden as sunlight, and his eyes were a piercing blue. His family owned this forest and the farm just beyond its edge. He'd been bitten on more than one occasion by an angry squirrel or some such animal with fangs. With rapt attention, he watched each animal's reaction to the wolves' appearance. For the past two years, he'd spent his mornings doing the exact same thing; studying the animals.

Taking his pencil and a small piece of folded paper out of his pocket, the small boy began to write small notes down against the tree's trunk.

_Day 23. Pups are getting bigger. Parents still have to force them not to play. The runt seems to ignore this and always demands attention. Once the sun is all the way up, the animals will scatter, and the wolves will begin hunting. The sparrows in the oak tree have finally hatched their eggs. I heard peeping just before dawn on my walk out here. I'm gonna feed the animals now. I hope I don't get bitten by a raccoon again._

_-Link_

Putting his pencil and paper away, the boy, obviously named Link, adjusted his small pack and climbed down the tree slowly, putting in as much effort as he could into making no noise. When he reached the ground, he sat down in a small piece of sunlight and began digging through his things. The animals, finally noticing him, watched with doubt in their eyes. They instinctively knew he was human, and not to be trusted. Still, he hoped they had grown to like him; even only a little would've been nice.

Finally finding what he wanted, Link pulled out a sack of seeds and dried fruits. Once he pulled out a handful of seed, he had every animal's attention.

The birds were the first to swarm him. Getting scratches wasn't unusual for Link; he was always out in the forest. It kept most of the birds away from the crops. The same went for the other animals and the fruits. His mother encouraged it, but his father – had he known about it – would likely holler at him about becoming a man and using a sword.

Once all the birds in the area were fed or in the middle of stuffing their faces, Link moved on to the squirrels and slightly larger creatures. The rabbits and raccoons swiped whatever greens he had, and the squirrels stole as many acorns they could carry. It was somewhat funny to see a squirrel trying to climb up a tree with more food than it could handle.

With the plant and seed-eating animals fed, he turned his attention to the wolves. The alpha male watched him intently but calmly, his piercing black eyes as fierce as Link's blue. A long moment passed between them, eyes deadlocked on each other. The other animals looking on at the spectacle between the different species. Then, without missing a beat, both boy and wolf nodded their heads to each other. An unspoken understanding; Link could feed the wolf pups, but their father would be watching with fangs and claws ready.

Having seen the okay for themselves, the pups raced around the rocks and tackled Link as hard as they could, their combined strength just enough to cause the boy to topple backwards. He grinned as they washed his face with pink tongues. Cold nosed found his sides and stomach as the pups searched for food. The found his pack and immediately began sticking their noses in it, smelling the thin strips of meat Link had cut and hidden away from his father. Knowing they were hungry was enough to make Link pull out the food and start handing it out.

Soon the sun was up completely, banishing the comforting feeling of morning for the cheery atmosphere of early midday. While the wolf pups continued to fight over their food, the other animals left, ready to start foraging on their own. Once they were gone, Link knew it was time for the wolves to leave. He stuffed the empty bag into his pack and held his hands out to the wolves, showing them he had no more food to give. The pups, not understanding this, began to bite and lick his fingers. He pulled his hands away and placed them in his lap, then faced the alpha male. They shared another intense stare down, and then bowed their heads to each other. It would be as it had always been for the past two years; Link would feed them, and in return they wouldn't attack the farm.

Getting up from his spot on the forest floor, Link yawned and began his short trek back to his family's farm. Originally it had been his brother Kato feeding the wolves every day. But after his accident with a horse, Kato had been left with a sword hand he could barely use. He'd tried switching to his right hand, but he didn't have the same skill level as before.

Unlike his brother, though, Link could use both hands but hated the sword. Ever since the brother's accident, their father had been pushing the sword on Link with more determination than a stampeding stallion. It scared Link, and he knew that if he ever took up a sword, he'd somehow end up just like his father; a grumpy old man with more brawn than he needed.

His mother, however, was the most beautiful woman Link had ever seen. Her kindness only made her all the more amazing. She was a renowned herb expert in the surrounding areas, and had plenty of business with people coming to buy potions and remedies that cured almost anything. In a sense, she was everything her husband never could be. She was caring, he couldn't care less. She tended to herbs, he tended to a sword. But even though they were so different, they made each other very happy, and that's what confused Link all the more. Fights would be had one day, and then everything would be fine the next.

Finally emerging from the forest, Link found himself at the back door of his house. It was a small, two-level cabin with barely enough room for three, let alone four. Apparently his parents had moved here when Kato was three, and when Link's mother noticed she was pregnant again, things had gotten crazy. It was still crazy, even now.

"LINK! Where are you hiding, you brat?" a deep voice bellowed from inside the house. Link nearly jumped out of his skin as he listened to his father thunder downstairs and around the house. He could barely see him through the back door's window; stout man of nearly forty summers, balding head, broad shoulders, veins popping out of his neck, face bright red. Just like always.

Careful to avoid every window, Link stuffed his bag under the wooden back step and hid there for a second. The back door creaked open and closed, and something small and white fluttered down in front of his face. A piece of paper with cursive writing on it.

_Run and fetch me two tomatoes. Be light on your feet. –Mother_

Link grinned and raced for the small herb garden on the other side of the house, barely making a sound as he hopped the small gate and landed in the middle of a small path. His mother was an angel. She was always saving him from a beating like this. Every time his father demanded his location, Link would just show him whatever his mother had asked for. Mother, of course, would defend him without batting an eyelash and win.

Plucking two ripe tomatoes from the bushes lining the path, Link grinned from ear to ear and raced back to the house. Deep down, he wanted nothing more than to become a healer like his mother. He adored her and wouldn't hesitate to do anything for her. He never complained when he hurt himself in the garden. Mother had taught him that plants didn't know any better when it came to wielding their thorns. It was the kind of protection they were born with, unlike humans who picked up swords to harm others. To her, swords were unnecessary. She preferred a bow and arrow herself; a hunter's weapon, she called it.

To her gleeful surprise, Link was a natural at using a bow and arrow. At his age, it was a miracle he could hit the outside ring of a target at fifteen feet. But the boy went above and beyond her expectations, hitting the second ring from the middle from twenty feet on his first try.

He was practically skipping when he reached the back door of the house, and he beamed when he saw his mother waiting for him with a smile on her face. Her long golden hair was pulled into a thick braid that reached past her waist. Her deep blue eyes sparkled with a combination of kindness and mischief that would have any man bowing at her feet. Her smile alone could melt any heart, Link knew for a fact. Any woman who could bring out the kindness in a man like his father was heaven-sent. And even though she was nearing her late thirties, she still had the grace of a twenty year old.

"Good morning, Link. I trust you got the tomatoes I asked for?"

Link nodded vigorously and held them out to her. She took them and ushered him inside just as his father walked into the kitchen. Instantly, the happiness in Link's eyes fled, replaced by fear. And he truly did fear his father. Angry green eyes were set into a square, hard face that rarely smiled, framed by short black curls lined with grey. His body was stocky, but well muscled, adding even more tension to his appearance. The man could take on four bandits and walk away without a scratch.

"So there you are, you little pain," he hissed, the vein in his neck twitching like a dying snake. "Where were you this morning?

"He was helping me in the garden, weren't you, Link?" his mother crooned, patting his head comfortingly. Link clung to her apron and nodded, not wanting to deal with his father's anger.

"Don't coddle him, Corinne! It's your fault he's like this! If you didn't treat him like a baby, he'd be stronger!"

"Oh really?" Link's mother raised a delicate eyebrow and smoothed out her son's messy hair. "And why does he run to me, dear? Maybe it's because you chase him to me! Heaven knows he's told you he hates using a sword!"

"The boy can't even speak!"

Link's insides melted into the floor. Leave it to a father to point out his own child's worst quality. And it was his own fault his son didn't have a voice.

"And yet I can understand him just fine! Randal, go cool your head! You're too angry to talk to right now!"

Link's father, too livid to even speak, stomped from the house and slammed the door behind him without as much as a look back. Link felt hot tears run down his cheeks as he watched his father disappear.

"Oh, it's alright, Link. You don't need to be like your father and wield a sword," his mother said with a gentle smile. She kneeled and wiped his tears away with her dress sleeve. "I love you just the way you are. I understand you in a way he never could. I don't care that you can't speak. You're still my baby boy."

As his mother folded him into her arms, Link cried even more. It's true he couldn't speak. He'd originally been born with a voice, but an accident with his father had taken it away. Well, some might call it an accident, but Link couldn't help but think his father had despised his voice. He could still feel the sting of his father's hands slapping his face, and the pain of the sword's hilt crashing into his temple. The incident had robbed him of his voice and his confidence. He couldn't even remember what his voice sounded like. He could still use his hands to communicate, though.

Stepping back, he formed a heart with his hands and gave her a weak smile.

"I love you too, baby." Getting up off the floor, his mother picked him up and set him on a stool next to the counter. "Now, let's make some breakfast! How does an omelet with fruit salad sound?"

Link nodded and set to work cracking six eggs and mixing them in a large bowl his mother provided. He liked cooking well enough, but nothing compared to cooking with his mom. Cooking was something his father rarely did; he only liked butchering whatever animal he'd just killed. Frankly, Link hated the sight of bloody meat, but living on the farm had forced him to get over it quickly. Blood didn't make him queasy, but he didn't like looking at it.

Ten minutes later, Kato walked in. Tall and broad shouldered, Link's brother towered over everyone at almost six feet tall. His green eyes sparkled with their mother's stubborn mischief, but his hair was exactly like their father's, making him look like a younger version of the old windbag.

"Hey, Link. You cooking me breakfast again?" Kato asked, taking a seat at the small kitchen table. Link turned to his brother and tossed him a piece of the apple he was slicing. Kato caught it without blinking and swallowed it whole. Link gave him two thumbs up.

"How's your father doing?" Mother asked as she brought her eldest son an omelet and some fruit. Kato shrugged and nibbled on a slice of orange.

"He's…still a little steamed, but I talked him out of quite a rage. It seems like he's starting to get used to Link's little morning escapades."

Link let out a sigh of relief and hopped off his stool, exchanging it for a seat across from his brother. _Kato's so cool, _he thought with a hint of meekness to his mental voice. _I really wish I could be like him._

"So, Link…Wanna go for a round of archery after breakfast?" Kato asked, already shoveling the last of his omelet into his mouth. Link grinned and dug into his food the second his mother placed it in front of him, eager to spend time with his brother.

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Two hours later, the boys were carving new arrows next to the hay bale targets, their hands sore and nearly rubbed raw from the sting of a bow string. Despite that, they both smiling and happily doing their jobs.

Link tested the point on his eleventh arrow, chancing a glance at Kato. His brother was a hero in his eyes. Kato could do anything he put his mind to. Any chore or task was a breeze for the older boy. He could lift as many baskets of crops as their father could, and he was faster, too. Though he lacked their mother's grace, he had gained her charm. He was the kind of person anyone could get along with.

"Why are you staring at me, Link?" Kato asked suddenly, catching his brother's eyes with his own. Link shrugged and raised his hands to start using sign language.

-I am jealous, - the younger boy said with a sad smile. –I want to be like you, but I am small, and I don't have a voice.-

"Oh, Link, don't say that," Kato said, tousling his brother's hair playfully. "You still have to grow up some more. I'm not going to get any stronger or taller or faster. I'm almost twenty five. You're only nine summers old. There's no need to rush yourself."

-But father wants two strong sons. Not one strong boy and one useless boy.-

"Link, you're not useless. Trust me. When mother and father get sick, who knows which herbs to get from the garden?"

-Me. I know about herbs.-

"Exactly. Father trains me to be a fighter, and Mother trains you to be a healer. Our family is balanced this way." Kato offered another smile, and Link couldn't help but return it. Kato always knew how to make him feel better.

"Link! Kato!" Both boys looked up to see their mother walking down the front steps of the house, several large baskets tucked between her arm and hip. "Come help your father and I do some harvesting! The fruit trees are ripe!"

Not wanting to keep their parents waiting, the boys gathered their freshly-carved arrows put them away. Harvesting the fruit trees was one of the easiest duties on the farm, and it was enjoyed by all, even their father. It was something Link could do efficiently, seeing as he could easily maneuver his way through the tree branches. Whenever he swung from a branch over his brother or mother, they'd call him a monkey. Hearing his nickname from them gave him the determination to do better at his job.

Reaching the small grove of apple and pear trees on the western side of the farm, the whole family picked up a basket and started pulling fruit off trees. Link, however, strapped on a special satchel his mother had made him. It hung across his back, but its opening was designed to keep things from falling out if it ended up upside-down, which is how Link usually ended up. Monkeys sometimes slip, and Link was definitely no exception.

Link climbed the nearest tree and set to work, picking only the apples that were just barely ripe. The fruits harvested today would go to market tomorrow, when their father- as well as several nearby farmers - would ride into the nearest town and buy new crops and supplies. Link, of course, would stay at home with their mother and Kato and defend the farm from bandits. Father could easily handle the market himself.

Early harvest season was also the time when bandits came out of nowhere and burned down farms. They would steal the crops and sow the ground with salt, rendering the soil dead for many years. Last year, their father had learned from the town gossip that several farms west of town had been razed by desert bandits. The farm owners were never seen again, as well. It was a terrifying thought, but Link's father had said multiple times they were too far south for desert bandits to raid.

Leaning against the tree trunk, Link closed his eyes and yawned, finally feeling the effects of getting up early in the morning. He'd always been told that sleep was extremely important to a farmer, and that meant early bedtimes. But, with all that sunlight warming his face, he couldn't help but smile and drift off into a slight doze. He felt happy in that tree, surrounded by the farm he'd grown up on for nine summers.

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"It is time."

Link snapped his eyes open, searching the area for the unknown voice. It had been a girl's voice, but it was lighter and more regal sounding than his mother's.

Blinking away dots of light from his eyes, Link realized he was no longer in the middle of his family's orchard. He was standing in the middle of a large room with a ceiling at least fifty feet high. Tall white columns with carvings of different areas of the world held up the high roof; one for the ocean, the mountains, the desert, and the forest. Light filtered its way through the large stained glass windows positioned just below the roof, coloring the floor with reds and greens and golds in swirling designs.

At the far end of the room, a girl clad in a white dress and gold belt sat before and altar, her hands clasped in prayer. Her long golden hair, which hung down past her waist, was braided and bedecked with blue crystals. She looked small and frail in comparison to the large, ceiling high door in front of her.

Link began to make his way across the room, his concern beating back his hesitation and wariness. Is she okay? What happened, I wonder?

Suddenly the girl twisted around and stared at him, revealing a blue almost as intense as his own eye color. He stopped moving, suddenly feeling extremely awkward and out of place. He wanted to leave.

"You…who are you?" she demanded as she stood up. "This is the first time I've seen you in a vision. Are you a messenger from the Gods? This is a sacred place!"

Link flinched at her tone of voice, surprise mixed with fear in his eyes. The only person who'd yelled at him like that was his father, and he wasn't eager to meet someone else who would do the same.

The girl blinked at Link's reaction, anger replaced by curiosity. "No messenger would make such a human move. You are a human like me, yes?"

Still wary of the strange girl, Link nodded.

The girl sighed, then said, "I suppose it was brazen to hope that someone would answer a prayer from me. I am merely a commoner." She paused an gave him a war smile. Link felt color flood his face. This girl was almost as pretty as his mother, though she was barely older than him. She gave off a very regal aura, as if she were more than just a common girl praying to an unknown god.

"I'm sorry. I never asked for your name, nor have I given you mine. I am known as Ai. You are…Link, yes?"

Link jumped, his eyes wide and fearful.

"Do not be afraid. I am what you call a witch, of sorts. I can see the future, and I can see you will have many hardships ahead of you. Be strong, Link." She held out her hand for him to shake and smiled. "I hope to meet you in person someday. Let us look forward to that."

Slowly closing the distance between them, Link shook Ai's hand gently. Suddenly the room filled with a bright white light, and Link felt himself being pulled away.

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"Link, where are you?" his mother called, her voice shaking Link from his dreams. The boy yawned and sat up on the tree branch he'd fallen asleep on, brushing leaves and bark from his clothes before clambering down to the ground. He dropped to the ground with a soft thud. Finally locating him, his mother sighed and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Come on, my little monkey. It's time to head inside. Your father's decided to ride into the market tomorrow. He's finishing up with the fields. You need to help me with dinner."

-What time is it? How long was I sleeping?- Link asked.

"Oh, you were sleeping for a good four hours. But I covered for you. We've picked enough apples to sell for tomorrow."

Link smiled warmly and signed, -Thank you, mother. I love you.-

"Oh, I love you too, baby. Now let's go fix some dinner."

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Aaaand, there's chapter one. Did anyone like it! Leave reviews, please! I thrive on them!


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